This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks competitive revisions for existing awards to support Phase II of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) initiative. These testing research projects will (1) expand the scope and reach of RADx-UP testing interventions to reduce COVID-19 disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations and (2) address scientific questions on interventions to increase access and uptake of COVID-19 testing given the increasing availability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. The funding for this initiative is provided from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

This Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) provides an opportunity for researchers funded by the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) initiative to devote more time for mentorship activities. The NIH defines a mentor as experienced scientist who can help guide the research of junior investigators and challenge them to develop independence as researchers. The objectives of mentoring include to enhancing a mentees approach to scientific investigation, developing their critical thinking and communication skills and assisting with their progression the research community. Mentoring responsibilities involve helping junior investigators defining research goals, supporting the achievement of those goals, and discussing and evaluating progress throughout training. A mentor should provide constructive and timely feedback, support training, networking and professional development opportunities, and acknowledge a mentees contribution to research. The award is intended to provide protected time for established investigators supported by the HEAL Initiative to simultaneously provide mentoring to junior investigators. The supplement is intended for investigators (principal investigators or co-investigators) who have a record of supervising and mentoring clinical pain researchers. The NIH HEAL Initiative is a trans-agency effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid public health crisis through understanding, managing, and treating pain and improving treatment for opioid use disorder and overdose.

(Reissue of PAR-18-486) The purpose of the NINDS Faculty Development Award to Promote Diversity in Neuroscience Research (K01) is to diversify the pool of independent neuroscience research investigators by providing junior faculty with research cost support, protected research time and career stage appropriate professional development mentorship in neuroscience research. Individuals from backgrounds underrepresented in biomedical research are eligible for support under this award if they have doctoral research degrees (Ph.D. or equivalent) and are in the first 3 years of a faculty tenure track or equivalent position at the time of application. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed specifically for applicants proposing to serve as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial, a clinical trial feasibility study, or a separate ancillary study to an existing trial, as part of their research and career development. NINDS will only accept applications to this FOA that propose human mechanistic trials/studies that meet NIH's definition of a clinical trial and that fall within the NINDS research priorities. Applicants are strongly advised to consult with NINDS program staff prior to submitting an application with human subjects to determine the appropriate funding opportunity.

(Reissue of RFA-NS-18-014) This R34 FOA solicits applications that offer a limited scope of aims and an approach that will establish feasibility, validity, or other technically qualifying results that, if successful, would support, enable, and/or lay the groundwork for a potential, subsequent Targeted Brain Circuits Projects - TargetedBCP R01, as described in the companion FOA (RFA-NS-18-009). Applications should be exploratory research projects that use innovative, methodologically-integrated approaches to understand how circuit activity gives rise to mental experience and behavior.